Latest news with #OldTimers'Day
New York Post
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Will Warren in awe of Ron Guidry, Yankees' Old-Timers' Day in glimpse of future possibilities
Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free In his first taste of major league life, Will Warren had a sour taste of Old-Timers' Day. Last year, he was the day's starting pitcher — and was knocked around by the Rockies — on an afternoon during which he 'didn't get to meet anyone,' Warren said. Pitchers are busy on the day of their start. So this season, Warren was happy to see the event fall on a mere workout day for him. On Saturday, he threw a bullpen session and rushed over to the home dugout, where he could soak up the atmosphere and converse with Yankees legends of yesterday. Part of the allure of the day involves players such as Warren — a 26-year-old rookie still figuring out his way in the majors — chatting with greats such as Ron Guidry, Andy Pettitte, Bernie Williams and Roger Clemens. He had met them all during spring training — and Pettitte is around all the time as an adviser — but hanging out with the Yankees icons and simply watching them play was an experience he enjoyed. 3 New York Yankees pitcher Will Warren throws a pitch during the first inning in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, USA, Wednesday, July 30, 2025. JASON SZENES/ NY POST 3 Ron Guidry (L), Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte are seen on the field during batting practice before the start of Old Timers' Day. JASON SZENES/ NY POST 'To actually watch them play, it was cool because I'm like: The fact that Gator can get on a mound and throw,' Warren said Sunday of the 74-year-old Guidry. 'I'm like, 'No way. I want to be able to do that when I'm his age.' That's cool. 'I was just looking around, like, 'This is crazy.' ' Guidry, Clemens, Pettitte and David Cone pitched in the exhibition. The atmosphere had more of an effect on Warren than any bits of advice, but there were plenty of words of encouragement from the greats such as, 'Keep going, I'm doing great, things like that,' Warren said. Will a 70-year-old Warren be an Old-Timer one day? 3 Former New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada (l) watches from the dugout with former Yankees pitchers Andy Pettitte (c) and Mariano Rivera (r) during the Old Timers' Day Ceremony at Yankee Stadium. Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images 'For sure, if they let me,' Warren said with a smile. The afternoon was a success with one large exception: the torn Achilles that befell Mariano Rivera. A hobbling Rivera did stick around to shake hands with some of the Old-Timers and Yankees, but he will require surgery next week. 'Brutal,' manager Aaron Boone said of his former teammate. 'I didn't see him after, but I know he was in Mo-like spirits. Excited for rehab.'
New York Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Mariano Rivera suffers leg injury during Yankees Old-Timers' Day
Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free Mariano Rivera had targeted Old-Timers' Day to share a moment and share advice with struggling Yankees reliever Devin Williams, believing he could help. The greatest closer of all time never made it to Williams because of an injury that has sparked concern. Rivera suffered a leg injury during the alumni game, the Yankees said after the festivities and after the 5-4 win over the Astros in The Bronx. The extent of the injury or the exact timing — he ran the bases on a single and played the outfield during the brief exhibition — is unclear. Rivera has famously had a history of freak practice injuries. In May 2012, he was shagging fly balls before a game and tore his ACL, getting knocked out for the rest of that season. The injury sidetracked Rivera's intention to speak with Williams. Before the festivities, Rivera said he did not want to reveal his precise message. 3 New York Yankees hall of fame closer Mariano Rivera hits a single during the Old Timers' Day game at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York, USA, Saturday, August 09, 2025. JASON SZENES/ NY POST Rivera — the first and only unanimously voted Hall of Famer and unquestionably the best reliever ever — did not have a ton of struggles through 19 seasons, but he still learned how to handle the adversity that comes with the game and comes with the closer role. 'Forget about it,' Rivera said about overcoming struggles such as a blown save. 'You can't do nothing about it. What's done is done. Move on and be confident. You have to be confident in yourself. If you're not confident in yourself, why are you playing the sport?' 3 Former New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera waves to fans at Old Timers' Day. Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images 3 New York Yankees hall of fame closer Mariano Rivera hits a single during the Old Timers' Day game at Yankee Stadium. JASON SZENES/ NY POST A night earlier, Williams acknowledged his confidence is not 'as high as it's ever been,' after essentially costing his team a third game in as many appearances. Williams, a two-time All-Star with the Brewers who has been among the best arms in the game in his career, owns a 5.73 ERA and has allowed at least a run in his past five games. 'Any time Mo's around, I know guys — not just guys in the pen, but everyone — appreciate the wisdom he provides,' manager Aaron Boone said before the win. 'What Mariano was so good at was just that he wasn't affected by yesterday's performance.' Boone has said he wants to find less-stressful situations for Williams to help reclaim his confidence. '[Williams] needs to be a little more positive,' said Old-Timer Jorge Posada, who knew how to guide pitchers through rough times. 'You got to get him through … these key situations. Hopefully he gets his mind right.'
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Yankees Legend Sends Strong Message To Aaron Boone, Team Amid Struggles
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The New York Yankees are struggling as much right now as they have in the last few years. This team, led by manager Aaron Boone, seemed to get too complacent with the American League pennant and division title last year. There's no fire in the Bronx right now. There's nothing to fear besides Aaron Judge. Everything seems a little flat at this point. As the Yankees have slowly but surely slid down the standings, the team has seemed to grow flatter and flatter. On Saturday, the Yankees welcomed a lot of the franchise's legends back to town for an alumni game. Some of those all-time greats, including Jorge Posada, voiced their opinion on the current state of the Yankees. NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 24: Jorge Posada smiles during the New York Yankees Old Timers' Day prior to the game against the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium on August 24, 2024, in New York,... NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 24: Jorge Posada smiles during the New York Yankees Old Timers' Day prior to the game against the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium on August 24, 2024, in New York, New York. More New"They gotta get a little angry ... they need to have a chip on their shoulder. You can't be friends with everybody," Posada told SNY's Chelsea Sherrod ahead of the franchise's "Old-Timers' Game" on Saturday afternoon. If anybody's opinion on the Yankees matters, it would be Posada's. Posada is a 17-year MLB veteran, having played all 17 seasons with the Yankees. He won four World Series in six trips to the championship. The legend knows what it takes to win. Posada's message to the Yankees is simple: play with a chip on your shoulder. Making it to the World Series last year is a huge step in the right direction, but at the end of the day, they fell short of the final goal. If the Yankees don't pick up the pace in the near future, they're going to fall short of the postseason altogether. More MLB: Yankees Devin Williams Finally Breaks Silence On Brutal Struggles
05-08-2025
- Sport
Brewers' successful promotion could result in more alumni home-run derby events
MILWAUKEE -- Maybe the Home Run Derby doesn't have to be limited to All-Star weekend. The Milwaukee Brewers had Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun and several other former players competing in an alumni home run derby that followed a game with the Miami Marlins last month. The promotion helped draw a sellout crowd of 41,944 fans, with nearly all of them sticking around to watch the postgame event. Other clubs noticed, too. 'I thought it was a great idea and applaud them,' Arizona Diamondbacks president and CEO Derrick Hall said. 'I believe all of us will be considering something similar.' Brewers manager Pat Murphy is among those already has been conjuring up ways to expand on this idea. 'I think it just opens the door,' Murphy said. 'Can you imagine the Brewers versus the Cubs home run derby — their three legends versus legends of ours. You know what I mean? Can you imagine that happening around the league?' The Brewers' home run derby occurred 11 days after Seattle's Cal Raleigh won Major League Baseball's Home Run Derby and 10 days after the All-Star Game was decided on a swing-off. With the game tied 6-6 after nine innings, three batters from each league took three swings and Philadelphia's Kyle Schwarber homered three times to give the NL a 4-3 victory. Brewers president of business operations Rick Schlesinger said a half-dozen MLB teams reached out after their alumni home run derby to get information on how well it had worked. Milwaukee's promotion was part of a 25th-anniversary celebration of American Family Field. Keon Broxton, who played for the Brewers from 2016-18, won the event and recreated Fielder's most famous home-run celebration by standing tall at home while the teammates surrounding him fell back like a collection of bowling pins. 'It was awesome,' Broxton said afterward. Milwaukee wasn't the first team to do this kind of promotion. The Houston Astros staged their own alumni home run derby events in 2018 and 2019. The Atlanta Braves had an alumni softball home run derby last year. The format represents a different way to welcome back former players rather than having the traditional Old Timers' Day games from yesteryear. The New York Yankees are holding their first Old Timers' Day game since 2019 on Aug. 9, and the New York Mets are having an alumni game Sept. 13. But the Brewers' event last weekend generated plenty of national attention, particularly when highlights aired showing how the stands stayed packed throughout the event. 'The guys that were all here, we all said we'd be back for anything like that, whether it's something like what Murph suggested or even keeping it in house and playing a couple-inning game ... maybe guys from 2005-10 against guys from 2010-15,' said Casey McGehee, who played for the Brewers from 2009-11 and participated in the home run derby. 'I think there's a lot of opportunity for some really cool stuff to come from it.' Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said he didn't get a chance to watch the alumni derby that followed his team's game in Milwaukee, but he liked Murphy's idea about branching it out. 'A big part of the beauty of our sport is how you remember those who played before, the history of our game and had success for your organization or those who made impacts throughout the league,' McCullough said. 'So anytime we get a chance to celebrate those who did meaningful things, I'm all for it." The trick in putting together an alumni home-run derby is finding the right participants. They must be old enough to have finished playing but remain young enough to still manage to hit batting-practice pitches out of a major league stadium. The Brewers didn't put up makeshift fences in the outfield for this event to make home runs easier, and the former players' swings weren't leaving the ballpark as often as when they were in the big leagues. McGehee believes future home run derby promotions could feature more power than what the ex-Brewers showcased last weekend. McGehee said he tried working on his swing before last week's event, but family obligations got in the way. If he gets another invitation, McGehee expects to be more prepared. 'I think knowing what we know now, the product would probably even get better because we saw how cool that was,' McGehee said. 'I think people would be carving out pretty significant parts of their days to get themselves ready to roll.'
Chicago Tribune
05-08-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Milwaukee Brewers' successful promotion could result in more alumni home run derby events
MILWAUKEE — Maybe the Home Run Derby doesn't have to be limited to All-Star weekend. The Milwaukee Brewers had Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun and several other former players competing in an alumni home run derby that followed a game with the Miami Marlins last month. The promotion helped draw a sellout crowd of 41,944 fans, with nearly all of them sticking around to watch the postgame event. Other clubs noticed, too. 'I thought it was a great idea and applaud them,' Arizona Diamondbacks president and CEO Derrick Hall said. 'I believe all of us will be considering something similar.' Brewers manager Pat Murphy is among those already has been conjuring up ways to expand on this idea. 'I think it just opens the door,' Murphy said. 'Can you imagine the Brewers versus the Cubs home run derby — their three legends versus legends of ours. You know what I mean? Can you imagine that happening around the league?' The Brewers' home run derby occurred 11 days after Seattle's Cal Raleigh won Major League Baseball's Home Run Derby and 10 days after the All-Star Game was decided on a swing-off. With the game tied 6-6 after nine innings, three batters from each league took three swings and Philadelphia's Kyle Schwarber homered three times to give the NL a 4-3 victory. Brewers president of business operations Rick Schlesinger said a half-dozen MLB teams reached out after their alumni home run derby to get information on how well it had worked. Milwaukee's promotion was part of a 25th-anniversary celebration of American Family Field. Keon Broxton, who played for the Brewers from 2016-18, won the event and recreated Fielder's most famous home run celebration by standing tall at home while his teammates surrounding him fell back like a collection of bowling pins. 'It was awesome,' Broxton said afterward. Milwaukee wasn't the first team to do this kind of promotion. The Houston Astros staged their own alumni home run derby events in 2018 and 2019. The Atlanta Braves had an alumni softball home run derby last year. The format represents a different way to welcome back former players, rather than having the traditional Old Timers' Day games from yesteryear. The New York Yankees are holding their first Old Timers' Day game since 2019 on Aug. 9, and the New York Mets are having an alumni game on Sept. 13. But the Brewers' event last weekend generated plenty of national attention, particularly when highlights aired showing how the stands stayed packed throughout the event. 'The guys that were all here, we all said we'd be back for anything like that, whether it's something like what Murph suggested or even keeping it in house and playing a couple-inning game … maybe guys from 2005-10 against guys from 2010-15,' said Casey McGehee, who played for the Brewers from 2009-11 and participated in the home run derby. 'I think there's a lot of opportunity for some really cool stuff to come from it.' Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said he didn't get a chance to watch the alumni derby that followed his team's game in Milwaukee, but he liked Murphy's idea about branching it out. 'A big part of the beauty of our sport is how you remember those who played before, the history of our game and had success for your organization or those who made impacts throughout the league,' McCullough said. 'So anytime we get a chance to celebrate those who did meaningful things, I'm all for it.' The trick in putting together an alumni home run derby is finding the right participants. They must be old enough to have finished playing but remain young enough to still manage to hit batting practice pitches out of a major-league stadium. The Brewers didn't put up makeshift fences in the outfield for this event to make home runs easier, and the former players' swings weren't leaving the ballpark as often as when they were in the big leagues. McGehee believes future home run derby promotions could feature more power than what the ex-Brewers showcased last weekend. McGehee said he tried working on his swing before last week's event, but family obligations got in the way. If he gets another invitation, McGehee expects to be more prepared. 'I think knowing what we know now, the product would probably even get better because we saw how cool that was,' McGehee said. 'I think people would be carving out pretty significant parts of their days to get themselves ready to roll.'
